{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/personal-judgment","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/personal-judgment","data_freshness":{"sba_records_through":"2026-05-31","fdic_records_through":"2026-03-31","dealroom_last_updated":"2026-06-15","timezone":"America/Chicago"},"source_summary":["Public SBA 7(a) loan records","FDIC institution data","DealRoom lender and franchise enrichment"],"term":{"slug":"personal-judgment","term":"Personal judgment","group":"People and paperwork","definition":"A court order declaring that one person owes another person money. This can significantly impact an individual's creditworthiness and ability to secure a loan.","what_it_means":"A personal judgment against you or the seller can indicate financial instability and will be a major concern for an SBA lender. The lender will require these to be satisfied before loan closing. Ensure your personal financial statements and credit reports are clean well before applying for an SBA loan.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/personal-judgment","official_sources":[{"slug":"sop-50-10","title":"SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","official_url":"https://www.sba.gov/document/sop-50-10-lender-development-company-loan-programs","official_label":"View on SBA.gov","authority_tier":2,"publisher":"U.S. Small Business Administration","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/sop-50-10"},{"slug":"13-cfr-part-120","title":"13 CFR Part 120 — Business Loans","official_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-120","official_label":"View on eCFR","authority_tier":1,"publisher":"Office of the Federal Register","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/13-cfr-part-120"}],"related":[{"slug":"derogatory-mark","term":"Derogatory mark","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/derogatory-mark"},{"slug":"credit-report","term":"Credit report","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-report"},{"slug":"fico-score","term":"FICO score","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/fico-score"},{"slug":"tax-lien","term":"Tax lien","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/tax-lien"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"What if my personal credit report shows a judgment that has been satisfied or paid off?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-if-my-personal-credit-report-shows-a-judgment-that-has-been-satisfied-or-paid-off"},{"question":"Will an outstanding personal judgment (e.g., from a civil lawsuit) prevent me from getting an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/will-an-outstanding-personal-judgment-e-g-from-a-civil-lawsuit-prevent-me-from-getting-an-"},{"question":"Will a satisfied judgment on my personal credit report, even if paid, negatively impact my SBA 7(a) loan approval?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/will-a-satisfied-judgment-on-my-personal-credit-report-even-if-paid-negatively-impact-my-s"},{"question":"Can I still get an SBA 7(a) loan if I have a recent personal judgment against me, even if it's small?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/can-i-still-get-an-sba-7-a-loan-if-i-have-a-recent-personal-judgment-against-me-even-if-it"},{"question":"Does having a recent civil judgment against me affect my SBA 7(a) loan eligibility?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/does-having-a-recent-civil-judgment-against-me-affect-my-sba-7-a-loan-eligibility"},{"question":"Will a past tax lien or judgment on my credit report prevent SBA 7(a) loan approval?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/will-a-past-tax-lien-or-judgment-on-my-credit-report-prevent-sba-7-a-loan-approval"}]},"caveats":["Definitions represent DealRoom's plain-English interpretation for buyers; verify regulatory terms against the official SBA and eCFR sources listed.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an SBA eligibility determination."],"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so Glossary — Personal judgment","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/personal-judgment","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}